Nasir Alfaraj obtained a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering under the supervision of Professor Boon Ooi at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Nasir Alfaraj received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, in April 2013. He was a member of the Photonics Laboratory and his research interests include the epitaxial growth, fabrication and characterization of III-nitride semiconductor nanostructures. His published and in-progress work covers various aspects of semiconductor device physics, design, material growth, thin film deposition, device fabrication and operation of group III-nitride-based ultraviolet and visible range light-emitting diodes, lasers, and photodetectors. During his research, he used pulsed laser deposition to deposit group III-oxide materials and novel heterostructures that will aid in the realization of high-efficiency deep-ultraviolet photodetectors. Currently, Nasir is working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto​, USA.

Research Interests

Nasir's research investigated the design and clean-environment fabrication of solid-state and optoelectronic devices, including field-effect transistors and light-emitting diodes. His research expertise spans the areas of flexible electronics; optoelectronic device growth, fabrication, and characterization; and free-space optical communication. His research interests included Growth, fabrication, and characterization of group-III-nitride-based nanostructures for next-generation devices, Semiconductor physics and Quantum mechanics.

Journal Publications (10):

Photoinduced entropy of InGaN/GaN p-i-n double-heterostructure nanowires

Nasir Alfaraj, Somak Mitra, Feng Wu, Idris A. Ajia, Bilal Janjua, Aditya Prabaswara, Renad A. Aljefri, Haiding Sun, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, Iman S. Roqan, Xiaohang Li, Applied Physics Letters (2017).

Functional integrity of flexible n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors on a reversibly bistableplatform

Nasir Alfaraj, Aftab Hussain, Galo A. Torres Sevilla, Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Jhonathan P. Rojas, Abdulrahman B. Aljedaani, Muhammad M. Hussain, Applied Physics Letters (2015). Top Paper 2015 – Editor’s Pick Cover Page (Volume 107, Issue 17, 26 October 2015).

Thermodynamic photoinduced disorder in AlGaN nanowires

Nasir Alfaraj, Mufasila Mumthaz Muhammed, Kuang-Hui Li, Bilal Janjua, Renad A. Aljefri, Haiding Sun, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, Iman S. Roqan, and Xiaohang Li, AIP Advances (2017).

Free-space optical channel characterization and experimental validation in a coastal environment

Wael G. Alheadary, Ki-Hong Park, Nasir Alfaraj, Yujian Guo, Edgars Stegenburgs, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, and Mohamed-Slim Alouini, Optics Express, 26(6), 6614-6628 (2018).

Revealing microstructure and dislocation behavior in BAlN/AlGaN heterostructures

Haiding Sun, Feng Wu, Young Jae Park, T. M. Al tahtamouni, Che-Hao Liao, Wenzhe Guo, Nasir Alfaraj, Kuang-Hui Li, Dalaver H. Anjum, Theeradetch Detchprohm, Applied Physics Express (2018).

Structural properties, crystal quality and growth modes of MOCVD-grown AlN with TMAl pretreatment of sapphire substrate

Haiding Sun, Feng Wu, T. M. Al tahtamouni, Nasir Alfaraj, Kuang-Hui Li, Theeradetch Detchprohm, Russell D. Dupuis, and Xiaohang Li,

Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 50(39), 395101 (2017).

Influence of TMAl preflow on AlN epitaxy on sapphire

Haiding Sun, Feng Wu, Young Jae Park, Talal M. Al tahtamouni, Kuang-Hui Li, Nasir Alfaraj, Theeradetch Detchprohm, Russell D. Dupuis, Xiaohang Li,

Applied Physics Letters (2017).

Nonplanar nanoscale fin field effect transistors on textile, paper, wood, stone, and vinyl via soft material-enabled double-transfer printing

Jhonathan P. Rojas, Galo A. Torres Sevilla, Nasir Alfaraj, Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Arwa T. Kutbee, Ashvitha Sridharan, Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, ACS Nano (2015).

Out-of-plane strain effects on physically flexible FinFET CMOS

Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Nasir Alfaraj, Galo A. Torres-Sevilla, Hossain M. Fahad, Muhammad M. Hussain, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices (2016).

Enhanced cooling in mono-crystalline ultra-thin silicon by embedded micro-air channels

Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Hossain M. Fahad, Aftab M. Hussain, Jhonathan P. Rojas, Galo A.Torres Sevilla, Nasir Alfaraj, Ernesto B. Lizardo, Muhammad M. Hussain, AIP Advances (2015).

Conference Publications (8):

Modeling and investigation of photoinduced entropy of InGaN/GaN p-i-n double-heterostructure nanowires

Nasir Alfaraj, Somak Mitra, Feng Wu, Idris A. Ajia, Bilal Janjua, Aditya Prabaswara, Renad A. Aljefri, Haiding Sun, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, Iman S. Roqan, Xiaohang Li, 12th International Conference on Nitride Semiconductors (ICNS-12), Strasbourg, France, July 2017.

Photoinduced thermodynamic behavior in InGaN/GaN double-heterostructure nanowires

Nasir Alfaraj, Somak Mitra, Feng Wu, Idris A. Ajia, Bilal Janjua, Aditya Prabaswara, Renad A. Aljefri, Haiding Sun, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, Iman S. Roqan, Xiaohang Li,  59th Electronic Materials Conference (EMC 2017), South Bend, IN, United States, June 2017.

Investigation of microstructure, strain and defect of BAlN/Al(Ga)N heterostructures

Haiding Sun, Feng Wu, Talal Al tahtamouni, Nasir Alfaraj, Theeradetch Detchprohm, Russel D. Dupuis, Xiaohang Li, 59th Electronic Materials Conference (EMC 2017), South Bend, IN, United States, June 2017.

Structural properties and growth modes of MOCVD-grown AlN with TMAl pretreatment of sapphire substrate

Haiding Sun, Feng Wu, Nasir Alfaraj, Theeradetch Detchprohm, Russel D. Dupuis, Xiaohang Li, 59th Electronic Materials Conference (EMC 2017), South Bend, IN, United States, June 2017.

Effective surface passivation of InGaN/GaN nanowires studied by photoluminescence and photothermal deflection spectroscopy

Nasir Alfaraj, Renad Aljefri, Markus Baier, Davide Priante, Bilal Janjua, Aditya Prabaswara, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, Frédéric Laquai, Xiaohang Li, International Workshop on Nitride Semiconductors (IWN 2016), abstract PS2.170, Orlando, FL, United States, October 2016.

Ultra-high density out-of-plane strain sensor 3D architecture based on sub-20 nm PMOS FinFET 

Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Nasir Alfaraj, Galo A. Torres Sevilla and Muhammad M. Hussain, 15th International Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE NANO 2015), Rome, Italy, 27-30 July, 2015.

Out-of-plane strain effect on silicon-based flexible FinFETs

Mohamed T. Ghoneim, Nasir Alfaraj, Galo A. Torres Sevilla, Hossain M. Fahad, Muhammad M. Hussain, 73rd Annual Device Research Conference (DRC), The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States, June 21-24, 2015.

Refractive index measurement of single-crystalline wurtzite BAlN with Boron contents up to 11.6%

Xiaohang Li*, Kuang-Hui Li*, Nasir Alfaraj*, Mohd Sharizal Alias*, Tien Khee Ng, Boon S. Ooi, Theeradetch Detchprohm,  Russell D. Dupuis, 18th International Conference on Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (ICMOVPE-XVIII), abstract 1C-1.4, San Diego, CA, United States, July 2016.

Education Profile

• Ph.D. Electrical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
• M.S. Electrical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
• B.S. Electrical Engineering, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States, 2013.

Professional Memberships

• SPIE.
• American Chemical Society.
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
• IEEE Young Professionals.

Awards and Distinctions

• Nominated by KAUST to attend the 2018 Chicago Forum on Global Cities, taking place in Chicago on June 6-8, 2018 (hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Financial Times.
• Featured scientist in a book chapter published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom (Nanotechnology: The Future is Tiny, Ch.1: Generating Energy Becomes Personal, August 2016).
• Editor’s Select, Applied Physics Letters, 2015.
• Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission Academic Awards (2008–2013).
• King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program (2008–2013).
• Pi Mu Epsilon, Honorary National Mathematics Society, 2012.
• Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honors Society, 2011.
• Eta Kappa Nu, Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society of the IEEE, 2010.
• Acknowledged by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in Washington, D.C., 2011.
• WMU Dean’s List: Spring 2008, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Summer 2012.
• The Western Edge Retention Scholarship, 2008.